No one knows your body better than you

Candace Chambers
Staff Writer

“Miss Chambers, you can proceed to the back,” the nurse calls out into the waiting room. As I walk through the door, I proceed to the examination room and sit on the exam table. Before long, the doctor walks in, dressed in her white coat; carrying my chart of records and a pencil in her hand. She asks, “Miss Chambers, what brings you in today? Can you tell me of anything you have been noticing lately with your body?”

This is a typical doctor’s visit. As I illustrated, the doctor asked about anything abnormal that has been happening with her patient’s body. Although we often expect our physician to be the magic mind reader with the magic touch to cure our problems, no one knows our bodies better than ourselves.

For 365 days, 8,688 hours, and 525, 600 minutes, we are in our own bodies. How can we expect a physician to fully know what goes on in our body daily in 10 minutes at a regular check-up?

From the day babies are born, they cry when hungry or frustrated. Toddlers notice bumps from mosquito bites or a tummy ache from a candy bar. When teens reach adolescents, they see changes in their physical appearance. Boys become anxious of the reaching of manhood. Some notice the deepening of their voices and the mustache and beard slowly forming on their faces. Girls begin to notice a broadening of their hips and the growing of their breasts, which brings excitement about the shopping of their first bra.

As the innocence of childhood wears with the years, our bodies change less rapidly to the physical eye. But, many changes occur internally that are less likely to show in the mirror. High blood pressure, diabetes, and breast cancer are a few life-changing ailments that begin internally and can be treated more effectively if detected early.

With October as Breast Cancer Awareness month, an early knowledge of the normality of our breasts can often make a significant difference in the detection of cancer. Women can perform self-checks in the mirror to feel for lumps and to examine the nipples for any inversions or abnormal discharge. Although there is a 1% chance for breast cancer in men, they still can be aware of “what’s normal” of their breasts. Regular breast cancer screenings are highly recommended for women.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a breast cancer organization suggests, “Getting regular screening tests is the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer. Screening tests can find breast cancer early, when the chances of survival are highest.”

Visit your physician regularly, not when something is wrong. Whether at the Health Center on campus or at a doctor’s office, bring knowledge of your own body in the room. The physician and your body will really appreciate it. Remember: Early detection is the best protection.